The Shaman
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: When the Charmed Ones are attacked by a three hundred year old spirit, they make a frightening discovery. His power is so great, that not even the Power of Three may be enough to vanquish him.


CHARMED  
"THE SHAMAN"  
by J. B. Tilton  
Rating: PG (for mild language)  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.  
* * *  
When the Charmed Ones are attacked by a three hundred year old spirit, they make a frightening discovery. His power is so great, that not even the Power of Three may be enough to vanquish him.  
* * *  
ONE  
Prue Halliwell walked into the manor and stopped. She looked around apprehensively. She had half expected to walk into a battle. Piper's call to her had been very mysterious. Piper had seemed almost hysterical when she had called. All Prue could get before they had been disconnected was that she had to come home right away.  
"Piper, Phoebe," called out Prue.  
She was met with silence. Nothing seemed out of place in the manor. Apparently Piper had been baking earlier. The smell of one of her culinary masterpieces still hung in the air. Cautiously, Prue moved through the house toward the kitchen.  
For a moment she thought she heard voices. Speaking in hushed tones, whomever it was was trying desperately not to be heard. No doubt that whomever, or whatever, was in the kitchen was waiting for her even now. Fortunately for Prue, she could enter the kitchen and surprise them. She bowed her head and closed her eyes. She concentrated for a second, then astral projected into the kitchen, ready to confront whatever was lying in wait for her.  
She appeared in the kitchen on the opposite side of the room from the door. There were three figures in the room, standing and watching the kitchen door. But these weren't demons. Instead, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo, their White Lighter, stood facing the door.  
"What's so important?" asked Prue.  
Her voice cut through the silence like a chain saw. All three spun around to look at her in total surprise. Phoebe even seemed to stop breathing for a moment. That's when Prue noticed it. Strung across the kitchen near the ceiling was an immense banner that read, "Happy Birthday Prudence Halliwell".  
"Don't do that," Piper nearly screamed. "You nearly scared the life out of me."  
"What's going on?" asked Prue. "You're phone call made it sound like every demon in hell was in the manor attacking you."  
"It's the only way I could think of to get you here, sweetie," said Piper, kissing her sister on the cheek. "I doubt if you would have come home if I had said, 'oh, by the way, you need to come home for your surprise birthday party'."  
"Prue," said Leo, "why don't you get back into your body now."  
Prue simply vanished, then walked through the kitchen door several seconds later. The look on her face indicated that she was annoyed. Not angry, exactly, only annoyed.  
"Well," she said, "you're right about one thing. If you had told me about this, I would have stayed as far away from the manor as possible today. You know how much I hate parties. And especially surprise parties."  
"Well," said Phoebe, picking up a camera from the counter, "it's not every day a girl turns thirty. It's a special occasion. We need to celebrate."  
"This was your idea, wasn't it?" demanded Prue.  
"She did suggest it," said Piper, "but Leo and I agreed. Most of the time we're all off with our own lives and careers and when we are together there's a demon or warlock or some other evil trying to kill us. We just thought it would be nice if we spent some quality time together. I made your favorite. Triple chocolate fudge cake with chocolate icing. And Phoebe got your favorite ice cream."  
"Chocolate decadence with chocolate chips?" asked Prue. "Yummy. But that still doesn't let you off the hook for this party."  
"Okay," said Phoebe, picking up a camera from the counter top, "we'll take the heat for it. Now, if I can just figure out how to set the time on this thing, we'll be all set."  
"All set for what?" asked Prue.  
"Since grams died," said Piper, "we don't have any pictures of us. Phoebe's moved back into the manor and we're all together again. We thought it would be nice if we took some pictures of all of us together. You know, like we used to do when we were kids."  
"I think I have it," said Phoebe, pressing a button on the camera. Suddenly the camera clicked and began to whir, indicating that it was advancing to the next frame.  
"That's the shutter," said Prue. "Good job. You know have an excellent picture of the kitchen wall. The timer is next to it. It should have about a ten second delay on it."  
"Okay, thanks," said Phoebe. "These things have always confused me."  
She sat the camera on the counter and looked through the view finder. She told the others to squeeze together until they were inside the frame, then pressed the timer button. She hurriedly moved around to get into the shot, and several seconds later, the camera clicked and began to whir again.  
"Perfect," said Phoebe. "Now, it's your birthday. You get to cut the cake."  
Piper handed Prue the knife.  
"I don't understand that tradition," said Prue. "If it's my birthday, shouldn't someone ELSE be cutting the cake? Why does the birthday person have to do all the work?"  
"That's just the way it is," said Piper. "Now, cut the cake. I've been working all morning on it."  
The cake was beautiful. It had Prue's name written on it in icing. In each corner was the Charmed symbol that was on the cover of the Book of Shadows in the attic. And across the bottom, in icing, Piper had written, "happy thirtieth birthday".  
"Piper, you've outdone yourself," said Prue, her mouth still full of cake. "This is the best cake you've ever made."  
"Thanks," said Piper. "I wanted it to be perfect. Now, it's time for the presents."  
"Presents?" questioned Prue.  
"What's a birthday party without presents?" asked Phoebe, taking a beautifully wrapped box out of one of the cabinets. "Happy birthday, sis."  
Prue had a tear in her eye as she took the gift. She turned to see Piper and Leo both also holding gifts. She just smiled at them, not know what else to say.  
TWO  
"Here you go, ma'am," said the attendant at the photo developing center.  
"Ease up on that ma'am stuff," said Phoebe. "I'm not THAT old yet."  
"Just being polite, ma . . . miss," he corrected.  
Phoebe paid for the pictures, then walked out of the building, taking the pictures out of their sleeve. The pictures of Prue's birthday party had come out beautifully. Not bad for someone who rarely held a camera. All but that first one, of course. It was blurry and out of focus. Oh, well, Prue would understand about it.  
Prue had offered to develope the pictures for Phoebe. But she had adamantly refused her eldest sister. This, she had insisted, was part of her birthday present to Prue. Prue was to simply enjoy her birthday without anything to bother her with.  
As she walked toward the manor, she looked the pictures over again. She had remembered to get three copies of each picture. Enough for each of the sisters to have their own set. She was looking at that first picture again and something about it struck her as odd. She thought she could see a figure standing in the picture. She just shrugged her shoulders and continued on to the manor.  
"Paige, Piper," she called out as she entered the manor, "I've got the pictures."  
Piper and Prue came out of the kitchen smiling. Phoebe divided the pictures up, giving them each a complete set. They eagerly took the pictures and began to look through them.  
"Not bad," said Prue. "Well, not bad for an amateur, anyway."  
"Ha, ha, very funny," said Phoebe. "Take a look at the first one. The one of the kitchen wall. Kind of looks like someone's standing there."  
Piper and Prue both thumbed through their stack of pictures until they came to the first one. As they were doing this, Leo orbed in.  
"Hey, Leo," said Piper. "Phoebe got the birthday pictures back."  
"So I heard," said Leo. "That's why I orbed in."  
"You listen in on us?" asked Phoebe.  
"I am your White Lighter," said Leo. "I have to keep an eye on you in case you need me for anything. Don't worry, I'm very discreet. I never violate your privacy unnecessarily."  
"Okay," said Phoebe, feigning anger. "Just make sure you don't."  
"Look at this one," said Prue, holding up the first picture. "Kind of looks like someone is standing against that wall."  
Leo looked at the picture. His brow furrowed as if he was trying to figure something out.  
"Is that an American Indian?" he asked.  
"Leo, sweetie," said Piper, "you have to catch up with the times. They aren't called American Indians any more. They're Native Americans."  
"My American History professor tells me it's more proper to call them by their nationality," said Phoebe. "Such as Navajo, Apache, Cherokee, or whatever."  
"Well," said Piper, "that's only if you know what nationality they are. Besides, this is just a blur on a photograph. Not like it's a real . . . whatever."  
"It seems to be too distinct to be a blur," said Leo. "But that's not possible. We were all there when Phoebe took that picture. No one else was in the room then. Look, he's wearing a vest. And this thing here. It's some kind of necklace or something he's wearing. I'm not so sure it's just a blur."  
"Maybe it's a ghost," said Phoebe. "Someone who needs our help and came here to ask us."  
"Not likely," said Leo. "You can't photograph ghosts. Besides, if a ghost had been there, you three should have been able to see it."  
"Whatever it is," said Prue, looking at the negative, "I don't think it's a blur. It's on the negative. It seems clearer on the negative. Sometimes the reverse image can show more details than the actual image. And, you're right, Leo. It does look like a Native American."  
"Okay," said Piper, "so if it's not a ghost, what is it? I've never heard of a demon like this before."  
"Neither have I," said Leo. "I think I'd better go see if I can find out something about this. It might be something or someone checking you out. Mind if I take one of those pictures with me?"  
"No, here," said Piper, handing him one of the photos. Leo orbed out.  
"You know," said Phoebe, "maybe my American History professor can identify the nationality of this figure. I'll take it to him and see what he can tell me about it."  
"Good idea," said Prue. "In the mean time, I'll check the Book of Shadows to see if it can tell us anything. Piper, why don't you check the manor. See if anything is out of place."  
"Right," said Piper.  
Phoebe took the picture and left the manor to go consult her professor. Prue went upstairs to consult the Book of Shadows and Piper began a systematic search of the house. None of them saw the almost invisible figure looking at them from the back door. The same figure that appeared in the photograph Phoebe had taken.  
THREE  
"Hey, guys, I'm home," called Phoebe, walking into the manor.  
"You don't have to yell," said Piper, stepping in from the living room. "We're right here. Did you find out anything?"  
"Some," said Phoebe, taking a seat in the living room. "My professor couldn't be sure because the picture is so blurry. But he said it looked like a member of a group called the Apocol nation. They inhabited this area about five or six hundred years ago. They weren't very big and very little is known about them. About three hundred years ago they were wiped out by a rival nation. Most of their artifacts, homes, everything was destroyed by their enemies."  
"Okay," said Prue, "so we have a dead Apocol in the house. The question is, if it's not a ghost what is it? And what does it want?"  
"What did you guys find out?" asked Phoebe.  
"Nothing," said Piper. "Nothing in the house seems to be disturbed and Prue couldn't find anything even remotely like it in the Book of Shadows."  
"That's weird," said Phoebe. "You'd think there would be something about it in there."  
"Not necessarily," said Leo, orbing in. "I found out what it is. It's a shade."  
"A shade?" asked Prue. "What the hell is a shade?"  
"It's a spirit being," said Leo. "Not exactly a ghost, though. A shade is a very powerful magical person, such as a witch, warlock, or something similar. They use a very old and powerful incantation to actually transform themselves into a spirit. They haven't actually died, so they aren't ghosts. That's why you can't see this one."  
"So, are shades good guys or bad guys?" asked Piper.  
"Either," said Leo. "If the medicine man or shaman was good in life, they become a good shade. If they were evil, they become an evil shade."  
"Okay," said Prue, "so if they're that powerful, why isn't there anything about them in the Book of Shadows? If we're gong to fight them, shouldn't we have some information about them?"  
"That's just it," said Leo. "There aren't supposed to be any. The last known shade was destroyed over a thousand years ago. It was believed that the magic needed to create one was lost when it was vanquished. I guess this Apocol learned the secret and used it to turn himself into a shade."  
"Okay," said Piper. "So we just vanquish this sucker. Maybe Phoebe can modify a spell or potion for something else that we can use. Just in case it's an evil one."  
"That's not a bad idea," said Leo. "A shade's power is magnified in the process of becoming a shade. Whatever this one wants, it's bound to be very powerful."  
"Leo," said Phoebe, hesitantly, "just how magnified is the power of a shade?"  
"A great deal," said Leo. "A normal witch or warlock would become something similar to a high level demon. The more powerful the witch or warlock, the more magnified the power. Why do you ask?"  
"It might be worse than we thought," said Phoebe.  
She pulled out the photo and showed it to the others. She pointed out what looked like a small bag hanging from the figure's belt.  
"My professor said that this looks like a medicine bag," she said. "They were very common among tribal medicine men and shamans. It contained items they believed gave them power. Only the most powerful shaman of the Apocol had one of these medicine bags.  
"And the necklace around it's neck. He said it appears to be made of bear claws or something similar. He couldn't be sure, as I said, because the picture is so blurry. But he also said that if it is, then that would make this one a very powerful shaman. He was the one responsible for protecting the tribe from it's enemies."  
"It doesn't look like he did a very good job," said Piper. "They were wiped out by their enemies."  
"Maybe he did," said Phoebe. "My professor said that, after their enemies defeated them, the enemies fell ill to a strange illness. It wiped them out within a matter of weeks. Almost as if by killing the Apocol, they cursed themselves. And if it is a shaman in the picture, it would probably be one called Shen To Taki: translated as the Revenger. And the most powerful shaman the Apocol ever had."  
"Then we have a problem," said Leo.  
"Why?" asked Piper. "We just write a Power of Three spell to vanquish his sorry butt."  
"If this Shen To Taki was that powerful," said Leo, "it would have been necessary to use the Power of Three to vanquish him. When he became a shade, his power would have been magnified many times. Making him just that much more powerful."  
"Just what are you saying?" asked Prue.  
"I'm saying," said Leo, "that the Power of Three may not be enough to vanquish the shade of a shaman that powerful."   
FOUR  
"Wait a minute," said Prue. "I thought you told us that the Power of Three is the most powerful magic there is?"  
"Normally, it is," said Leo. "As far as I know, only a shade this powerful has the power to overcome the Power of Three. And no one thought there were any more shades left."  
"So, what do we do?" asked Piper. "What do we do if not even the Power of Three can stop this thing?"  
"That's assuming it's evil," said Leo. "They became shades for a variety of reasons. To avenge a death, to protect someone, even to watch over sacred burial grounds."  
"How do we find out why he's here?" asked Phoebe. "And why he's never shown up before. I mean, it's been three hundred years. Why wait until now to make an appearance?"  
"Good questions," said Leo. "We also have to figure out a way to protect the three of you from this thing if it is evil."  
"That's easy," said Piper. "Phoebe writes a Power of Three spell. I'll make up the most powerful vanquishing potion I can make. I'm willing to bet that not even this shade can withstand both."  
"That sounds good," said Prue. "Now all we have to do is figure out why this thing is here."  
"We call it," said Phoebe. "A summoning spell. We summon it and ask it what it wants. If it's not evil, we ask it why it's here. Maybe we can help it."  
"That's a pretty big if," said Leo. "But I don't think we have much other choice. We can't wait around waiting for it to make an appearance. It was only luck that you caught him on film. The only reason he hasn't appeared yet is because he's gathering his power."  
"Okay," said Piper. "I'll get started on the potion. Phoebe, you get started on the spell."  
While Phoebe worked on the spell and Piper worked on the potion, Prue decided to scry for the shaman. She knew there was little chance of finding him. She had no item from the shaman to concentrate her search. But she couldn't just sit around doing nothing. Leo orbed back to the Elders to see if he could learn any more about the shaman.  
Leo orbed back just as Phoebe was coming down the stairs from the Book of Shadows. A frustrated Prue was still scrying for the shaman with no success. In disgust, she dropped the crystal onto the map.  
"You got it?" Prue asked Phoebe.  
"Right here," said Phoebe, holding up a piece of paper. "It's not my best work, but it should do the trick. What about you, Leo? Did you find out anything more about our mysterious guest?"  
"Not much," sighed Leo. "Like I told you earlier, it's been over a thousand years since a shade was seen. I did find a White Lighter who knew this Shen To Taki. The White Lighter was a member of the Apocol nation. He said this Shen To Taki was a very powerful shaman. He compared them to the three of you.   
"Great," said Piper, coming out of the kitchen holding a bottle, "a spirit with the Power of Three. That should prove interesting."  
"Is that the potion?" asked Leo.  
"Yes," said Piper, holding up the bottle. "It should be powerful enough to vanquish anything we come up against. This, with the spell Phoebe has, should be enough to take care of this sucker. If it becomes necessary."  
"Well, I guess we're ready," said Prue. "All we have to do is call this shaman and see what he wants."  
"Let's do it tomorrow," said Piper. "I want to get a good night's sleep before we contact this thing. Just to make sure we're at full strength."  
"That's not a bad idea," said Leo. "All of you get a good night's sleep. If this shaman is evil, you'll need all the power you can get."  
"Are you going to be around?" asked Prue.  
"I am your White Lighter," said Leo. "My job it to watch over you. I wouldn't be much of a White Lighter if I wasn't around."  
"Okay," said Prue. "When we do call this thing, let's not take any chances. At the first sign of danger from it, Piper will use the vanquishing potion, and then we use the spell."  
"Agreed," said Piper. "I'm going upstairs. I'll see everyone in the morning."  
Everyone decided to do the same. Leo orbed out, saying he was going to see if there was any other information he could find on the shade. He promised to be back in time to summon the shaman.  
The next morning, the girls gathered in the living room. Piper gave Prue another bottle of the vanquishing potion. She said she had made enough for two, just as a safety precaution. Phoebe gave them each a copy of the vanquishing spell so they could familiarize themselves with it.  
Leo orbed in several minutes later. He hadn't been able to learn anything more about the shaman. The White Lighter who had belonged to the Apocol had lived nearly forty years before Shen To Taki had been born. Everything he knew he had learned second hand.  
"Are we ready?" asked Leo.  
"As ready as we'll ever be," said Piper. "Now, all we have to do is summon this shade and find out what it wants. I don't think it would take just a simple summoning spell, would it? Or do we need a Power of Three summoning spell?"  
"A normal spell should be simple enough," said Leo. "All you have to do it get it's attention. I'm betting that when you try to summon it, it will appear on it's own."  
"Okay," said Phoebe. "Well, here goes. Shade of power, come from the past, appear before us now."  
"That's a summoning spell?" asked Prue.  
"Hey, it should do the work," said Phoebe defensively. "I spent most of my time working on the vanquishing spell. I didn't have much time for a summoning spell."  
"Enough," said Piper. "If it worked, we should know in a few minutes."  
Apprehensively, the four waited to see if the shaman would appear.  
FIVE  
Several moments passed and nothing happened. The sisters had all but given up hope that the shaman was coming when, suddenly, a figure began to materialize in front of them. Cautiously, Prue and Piper gripped their bottles holding the vanquishing potion. They were ready to use them if this shade proved hostile.  
When the shaman had completely materialized, the sisters and Leo stood looking at him. He looked much as they imagined he would. He wore buckskin pants and moccasins. Cinched around his waist was a rope like belt, with his medicine bag hanging from it. Around his neck was an ornate necklace constructed of bear claws and other implements, many of which they couldn't identify. In his left hand he carried what resembled a wand used by magicians. Only this one was ornately carved with various scenes of wildlife and symbols.  
His hair was very long, hanging below his waist. He had markings on his face, but they weren't the simple straight lines the girls' had seen in countless cowboy movies. They were intricately drawn patterns probably representing some form of power of strength.  
"Okay," said Piper to the shaman, "we know who and what you are. We don't mean you any harm. We just want to know what you want and what you're doing here."  
"Lotti to nar shenni mock petri," replied the shaman.  
Everyone just stared at each other. This was one aspect that none of them had considered. This shade had lived more than three hundred years ago. In a time before the first white man had even set foot on the western coast of what was now the United States. The magic had summoned him, but it had not given them any way to communicate with him.  
"Great," said Prue. "All of our preparations and safeguards and we can't even find out what he wants."  
"Well, he hasn't attacked yet," said Phoebe. "Maybe he's just waiting to . . .."  
As if understand what Phoebe was saying, the shaman raised his right hand and extended it, palm facing the sisters. A beam of magic sprang from his palm and hit Piper full force in the chest. Piper was caught totally off guard and was cast back against the wall of the living room, sliding to the floor dazed.  
"That's it," said Prue.  
She didn't hesitate. She raised her hand and the shaman was cast back by her telekinetic ability into the living room. As Phoebe rushed to Piper's aid, Prue uncorked the bottle containing the vanquishing potion Piper had given her. The shaman regained his feet and turned to face the sisters.  
Prue threw the bottle at the shaman, striking him in the chest. The liquid inside splashed out, covering his chest. Almost instantly flames began to engulf the shaman. For a moment it looked as if the potion was all that would be needed to vanquish the shade. Within seconds, his entire body burst into flames.  
Just as quickly, the flames were extinguished. The shaman stood facing Prue, no mark on him where the flames had, only moments before, engulfed him. He raised his hand again, but Prue was ready. As the magic shot from his palm, she dropped to the floor and rolled behind the sofa. Just as quickly, she projected herself into the kitchen.  
Piper and Phoebe turned to face the shaman. Piper pulled out her bottle of the vanquishing potion. She uncorked it just as Prue's astral form stepped out of the kitchen into the hallway. Prue used her ability on the shaman again, but he was ready for her. With a wave of his hand, he scattered her telekinetic ability in all directions.  
While Prue kept him distracted, Piper stepped up and threw the vanquishing potion on the shaman. Once again the flames began to engulf him. As quickly as the flames sprung up around his body, the three sisters incanted the vanquishing spell Phoebe had written.  
When they finished the spell, the flame engulfing the shade grew more intense. The combination of the spell and the potion was the most powerful magic the Charmed Ones had ever used. The intensity of the flames grew so great that the sisters had to look away from the searing heat and blinding light.  
Suddenly, the flames went out. It took a few moments for their eyes to adjust and they looked where the shaman had been standing. They knew he would be gone and all of the sisters expected to see a singed mark on the carpet from the intense heat of the flames. What they saw stunned them all to their very core.  
The shaman stood in the same spot, not a mark on his body.  
"Leo," said Piper, "I think you'd better orb us out of here right now."  
The sisters looked around, but Leo was no where to be seen. Apparently during the combat, he had already orbed out of the manor. The sisters were all stunned. As their White Lighter, he should have been there to help them in any way he could. Instead, it looked as if he had run at the first sign of trouble.  
The shaman raised his hand at Prue and cast his magic again. But Prue simply projected back into her body and the magic exploded on the kitchen door, shattering it into a hundred pieces. The shaman turned to face the three sisters once again in the living room.  
"If anyone has any bright ideas," said Prue, "now would be the time."  
Piper raised her hands and tried to freeze the shaman. As she had suspected, the power didn't affect the shade. Instead, it passed harmlessly around his body, leaving him unscathed.  
He smiled and raised his left hand; the one holding the want. He closed his eyes and concentrated for several seconds, then three thin blue beams erupted from the wand. The beams struck the three sisters causing them excruciating pain. Helpless, they could do nothing but fall to the floor as they felt the very life being drained from them. Drained at an incredible rate. In only seconds, they all knew they would be dead. And nothing they could do could stop it.  
SIX  
The girls tried vainly to rise from the floor. Prue tried to project out of her body, but the pain from the beam prevented her from focusing properly. Slowly, second by second, the life flowed out of the three.  
Suddenly, two figures orbed in. One was Leo. The other was a young man that the girls had never seen. His features clearly identified him as a Native American, though his clothes were the normal kind worn by any of a million young men on the street. Around his neck he wore a small choker necklace. His hair was much longer than most men, hanging well below his shoulders.  
"Yata hay, Shen To Taki," said the stranger, extending his right hand, palm extended, toward the shade.  
The shaman looked at the young man, then at Leo, then at the three sisters. His brow furrowed as he eyed this stranger who had suddenly appeared in the room. A stranger who, apparently, spoke his language. Suddenly, the beams from the wand stopped as the shade turned to face the stranger.  
"Yata hay," replied the shaman. "Toman kali nas?"  
"Nasi Stephen Skywolf," replied the stranger. "Somu tali nu Shinn Liteer po sen Apocol."  
"Shinn Liteer?" questioned the shade.  
As the stranger spoke to the shade, Leo moved immediately to the sisters. None was physically injured, though they were all incredibly weak. He helped them onto the sofa as the stranger spoke to the shade.  
"That's the White Lighter I told you about," said Leo. "His name is Stephen Skywolf. I figured we'd need a translator, since the shaman apparently didn't speak English. I didn't know you'd be fighting him before I got back."  
"He started it," protested Phoebe.  
Stephen turned to Leo and the sisters.  
"I've convinced him to talk with you," said Stephen. "He's not totally sure of what's going on, but I think I've convinced him you aren't evil."  
"Just how do we talk with him?" asked Prue. "He doesn't speak English and it seems only you speak his language."  
"My power is great," said the shaman. "Yours is a simple language. My power grants me the use of it."  
"Okay, so what the hell do you mean by attacking us?" demanded Piper. "All we wanted to do was talk with you. Why didn't you use your magic to speak with us before."  
"I do not speak with demons," said the shaman. "I am Shen To Taki, protector of the Apocol nation and revenger of those who desecrate our lands."  
"Demons?" questioned Phoebe. "Whoa, wait a minute. We aren't demons. Far from it. We're the Charmed Ones. We fight against demons. And warlocks, and ghosts, and any other kind of evil we find."  
"I know not of these Charmed Ones," said Shen To Taki. "But there have been many demons in this land. I have sensed them for some time. They desecrate the ancestoral lands of the Apocol. I protect the sacred lands of the Apocol. All who desecrate it must die."  
"Ancestral lands?" asked Prue. "What ancestral lands? The Apocol have been dead for three hundred years. They don't have any lands any more."  
"The Great Spirit granted these lands to the Apocol," said Shen To Taki. "Our enemies sought to take the land. They murdered my people. But they were avenged against our ancient enemies. Just as they will be avenged against the evil that now infests it."  
"Wait a minute," said Leo. "Are you saying that where we're standing was the land of the Apocol?"  
"So is was for hundreds of years," said Shen To Taki. "So it shall always be. But these three have dealings with the demons and dark powers that covet to destroy the land and desecrate the sacred places. I have sensed them many times here. This desecration must not go unavenged."  
"Sacred places," said Stephen thoughtfully. "That can only mean one thing. Somewhere around here is an ancient burial site. One that's never been discovered. It's the only place that a shaman of the Apocol would consider sacred."  
"There," said Shen To Taki, pointing toward the back of the house. "An ancient cavern deep in the land behind this dwelling. It is the final resting place of many of my people. The evil that comes to this place will seek to desecrate it. That, I cannot allow. These who consort with that evil must not be allowed to do this thing. I have sworn to protect it against all who would destroy it."  
"Great shaman," said Stephen, "I, too, am of the Apocol people. You know that, as such, I would never do anything to harm what is of our people. But I tell you, these three are not your enemies. They are called the Charmed Ones; witches of great power who are tasked with protecting the innocent and vanquishing evil. There's is a great destiny that has been foretold for generations."  
"Then why do they consort with the evil?" demanded Shen To Taki. "Many times I have sensed them in this very spot. Only evil consorts with evil."  
"You mean the demons who've been here?" asked Prue. "Consorting is not what we've been doing. They came here to destroy us. That's why they were here. So far, we've been able to vanquish most of them. Trust me, we have no desire to consort with any demons."  
"Shen To Taki," said Leo. "I'm a White Lighter, just like Stephen. We were sent by the forces of good to help guide and aid the Charmed Ones. If what Stephen has told me is true, you can sense evil. Do you sense any evil here now?"  
Shen To Taki looked at the three sisters, then at the two White Lighters. He concentrated on each of them.  
"I sense no evil," said the shade. "But I can sense only the evil of demons. Even if they were evil, I would not sense it from them."  
"But you also sense no evil from us," said Stephen. "You know that we are not human. And if there is no evil in us, how, then, can we protect those who are evil?"  
"I know of the white man," said Shen To Taki. "The spirits of many people cry out because of the greed of these people. They desecrate graves, steal what is sacred to be put on display. When they learn of the resting place of the Apocol people, they will scavange all that is there. It is their way. This, I cannot allow."  
"No one will ever learn of that cave you spoke of," said Piper. "At least, not from us. This is our home. As long as we live, no one will disturb their resting place."  
"You have the word of the Charmed Ones on that," said Prue. "This house has been in our family for a long time. And I'm sure it will be in our family for a long time to come. We promise you, as long as the Halliwells live here, no one will ever know of this cave you spoke of."  
"Great shaman," said Stephen, "I tell you that you can trust these three. I have seen all the good they have done. And of the good of which they are capable. The sacred place will not be disturbed so long as they live here. If you destroy them, others will come. And those others may discover the ancient burial site. What you hope to prevent may come to pass if you destroy these three."  
Shen To Taki looked at Stephen. It was clear that he held Stephen in high esteem. A member of his own people would never allow a sacred burial site to be desecrated by outsiders. The shaman was not familiar with a White Lighter, but it was clear that Stephen was not a creature of evil. Nor was the other one whom Stephen called a White Lighter.  
"I do not know these Charmed Ones," said Shen To Taki. "Nor have I heard of the ones you call White Lighters. But Skywolf, you are Apocol. You, more than these others, know what the sacred place means to our people. If you speak in behalf of these others, I will accept your word.  
"But hear my words. Should even one stone of the sacred place be disturbed, I will return. And I shall exact my vengeance on those who desecrate the land of the Apocol. Guard well your promise to me. I shall stay my hand until you have proven you can be trusted."  
Suddenly, Shen To Taki simply vanished from the hallway.  
SEVEN  
"I think I know what happened," said Stephen, after the girls had recovered from the shaman's attack. "Somewhere in the back yard is the subterrainian cavern Shen To Taki spoke of. It must be his grave site. That's why he was so powerful. He not only had the power of being a shade, but he had the added strength of being over his own grave. That is usually where a shade is themost powerful."  
"Wait a minute," said Prue. "Leo, didn't you tell us that this shaman turned hmself a shade. How could he have a grave?"  
"His spirit became the shade," explained Leo. "His spirit would have left his body when that happened. Which means that his body would have died. Stephen's probably right. His body is probably buried someone in the back yard."  
"The rose bush," said Phoebe. "That big one, in the back yard. As long as I can remember, it's always grown the largest, most beautiful roses I've ever seen. Grams loved that bush. Even when you didn't do anything with it, it still grows strong each year."  
"So the cavern is below that bush," said Prue. "The entrance to it must have been covered over years ago. And it must be incredibly deep if it wasn't discovered when they dug the foundation for the manor."  
"More than likely," said Stephen, "Shen To Taki closed the entrance after he became a shade. He would be able to pass through solid objects and wouldn't need an entrance. He probably covered it over so no one would accidentally discover it.  
"My guess is that the cavern is several dozen feet below ground. There are many such caverns all over this part of the country. Most are just empty caves. But the Apocol used to bury their honored dead in some of those caves. That would make the cavern a sacred burial site to Shen To Taki."  
"I thought we were gonners," said Phoebe. "For a moment, I thought that Leo had abandoned us."  
"White Lighter's don't abandone their charges," said Stephen. "It's not in their nature. If a person was capable of abandoning those under their charges, they could never become a White Lighter. Leo did the right thing when he came and got me."  
"So, let me get this straight," said Prue. "The shaman wasn't really evil. Is that it?"  
"No, he wasn't," said Stephen. "His only motivation was to protect the Apocol people. A very honorable and noble endeavor in any society. When my people were wiped out, his grief at having failed to protect them drove him to become a shade. Using magic that had been long forbidden to our people.  
"Once he realized what he had done by destroying our enemies, he was overcome with remorse. He sealed the cavern where our honored dead are buried and vowed to protect the cavern forever."  
"He must have sensed all the demon attacks at the manor," said Leo. "That's what he meant about sensing the demons here. Actually, I can understand how he might get the wrong idea. Sensing all those demons and not really knowing why they were here."  
"I guess I can understand it, too," said Prue. "Kind of like walking into the middle of a movie and and having to figure out what's going on. Sometimes something that happens in the first five or ten minutes of a movie sets the stage for the entire show. If you miss that, you may never understand what's going on."  
"So," said Piper, "do we have to worry about him popping up again? I mean, there are bound to be more demon attacks in the manor. What if he senses those?"  
"He won't do anything," said Stephen, "unless someone disturbs the cavern. His only concern is protecting the ancient burial site. As long as that cavern isn't disturbed, you shouldn't have to worry about seeing him again."  
"Good," said Phoebe. "I'm not looking forward to going through something like that again."  
"Well," said Prue, "now that we have this whole incident behind us, I just want to relax. I think I'll go put those pictures that Phoebe took at my birthday party in my photo album."  
"Well," said Piper, "I think we all deserve a nice dinner. We've earned it. Stephen, would you care to stay for dinner? Assuming, of course, that you don't have to rush off to any of your charges or anything."  
"I'd love to," said Stephen. "Leo told me you're a chef. And that your meals are some of the best he's ever had. That's quite a compliment coming from someone who's been around for better than eighty years."  
"Great," said Piper. "Phoebe, would you like to help?"  
"Me?" questioned Phoebe. "You want me to help you fix dinner? The last time I tried to help you in the kitchen, you told me to get out. And that if I ever tried it again, you'd turn me into a toad or something."  
"I know," said Piper. "I was just short tempered that day. I promise it will be different this time. Provided you do what I tell you to do."  
"Okay, I promise," said Phoebe. "Only you know how I am in the kitchen."  
"I know, I know," said Piper. "Maybe with a little luck, we can change that."  
"Come on, Stephen," said Leo. "Let me go show you where that rose bush is in the back yard. I think they're about to have a sisterly moment and would probably be best if we weren't here when that happened."  
Stephen just smiled as he followed Leo out the back door into the back yard.  
The End  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/. You can also post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


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